Electron, two-stage orbital launch vehicle, Rocket Lab, New Zealand, Huntington Beach, California, USA

[Administrator]

Electron launches “The Owl Spreads Its Wings” (StriX-1)

Sep 15, 2022

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “The Owl Spreads Its Wings” mission, to deliver the StriX-1 satellite to low Earth orbit, from Launch Complex 1, Pad B, on Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, on 15 September 2022, at 20:38 UTC (16 September, at 08:38 NZT). The mission is Rocket Lab’s 30th Electron launch overall. StriX-1 is Synspective’s first commercial satellite for its synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation to deliver imagery that can detect millimeter-level changes to the Earth’s surface from space, independent of weather conditions on Earth and at any time of the day or night.

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches “It Argos Up From Here” (Argos-4)

Oct 7, 2022

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “It Argos Up From Here” mission, to deliver to orbit the GAzelle satellite carrying Argos-4 (Advanced Data Collection System, A-DCS) hosted payload, from Launch Complex 1, Pad B, on Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, on 7 October 2022, at 17:00 UTC (8 October, at 06:09 NZT). The mission is Rocket Lab’s 31st Electron launch overall. The Argos-4 payload is part of the international Argos program that collects data from thousands of sensors and transmitters located around the world, used to provide a better understanding of Earth’s physical and biological environment, including its weather and climate, biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as assist with maritime security, offshore pollution, and humanitarian assistance.

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches “Catch Me If You Can” (MATS)

Nov 4, 2022

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “Catch Me If You Can” mission, to deliver into orbit the Mesospheric Airglow/Aerosol Tomography and Spectroscopy (MATS) satellite for the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA), from Launch Complex 1, Pad B, on Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, on 4 November 2022, at 17:27 UTC (5 November, at 06:27 NZDT). The mission is Rocket Lab’s 32nd Electron launch overall. According to SNSA, MATS is “designed to investigate atmospheric waves. It will do so by imaging variation in the light emitted by oxygen molecules at 100 km, as well as structures in the highest clouds in our atmosphere, the so-called noctilucent clouds, which form around 80 km”. The mid-air capture of Electron’s first stage was not successful.
Credit: Rocket Lab/Swedish National Space Agency
MATS launch

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches “Virginia is for Launch Lovers”

Jan 25, 2023

For the first time, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “Virginia is for Launch Lovers” mission from the Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, on 24 January 2023, at 23:00 UTC (18:00 EST). The mission is Rocket Lab’s 33rd Electron launch overall. The “Virginia is for Launch Lovers” mission will deploy three satellites for radio frequency geospatial analytics provider HawkEye 360. The mission was Electron’s first launch from Wallops.

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches “Stronger Together”

Mar 17, 2023

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “Stronger Together” mission from the Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, on 16 March 2023, at 22:38 UTC (18:38 EDT). The mission is Rocket Lab’s 34th Electron launch overall ans the second launch from Virginia, USA. The “Stronger Together” mission will deploy two more Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites for Capella Space.

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches “The Beat Goes On”

Mar 24, 2023

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched “The Beat Goes On” mission from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 24 March 2023, at 09:14 UTC (22:14 NZDT). “The Beat Goes On” mission will deploy two BlackSky high-resolution, multi-spectral, Gen-2 satellites. As a secondary mission, Rocket Lab plans to recover Electron’s first stage after it parachutes back to Earth and splashes down in the ocean.

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches NASA TROPICS

May 8, 2023

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “Rocket Like a Hurricane” mission, the first pair of CubeSats for NASA’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS), from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 8 May 2023, at 01:00 UTC (13:00 NZST).

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches NASA TROPICS, 26 May 2023

May 26, 2023

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “Coming To A Storm Near You” mission, the second pair of CubeSats for NASA’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS), from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 26 May 2023, at 03:46 UTC (15:46 NZST).

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches seven satellites

Jul 18, 2023

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “Baby Come Back” mission (seven satellites: four NASA Starling CubeSats, Telesat LEO 3 demonstration satellite, two Spire Global GNSS-RO 3U satellites), from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 18 July 2023, at 01:27 UTC (13:27 NZST). As a secondary mission, Rocket Lab plans to recover Electron’s first stage after it parachutes back to Earth and splashes down in the ocean.

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches Acadia-1

Aug 24, 2023

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “We Love The Nightlife” mission, Capella Space’s Acadia-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 23 August 2023, at 23:45 UTC (24 August, at 11:45 NZST).

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches Acadia-2 (second stage anomaly)

Sep 19, 2023

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “We Will Never Desert You” mission, Capella Space’s Acadia-2 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 19 September 2023, at 06:55 UTC (18:55 NZST). Electron’s second stage experienced an anomaly and the mission was lost.

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches QPS-SAR-5 “TSUKUYOMI-I”

Dec 15, 2023

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “The Moon God Awakens” mission, iQPS’s QPS-SAR-5 satellite named “TSUKUYOMI-I”, from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 15 December 2023, at 04:05 UTC (17:05 NZDT).

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches “Four Of A Kind” and Electron first stage splashdown

Jan 31, 2024

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “Four Of A Kind” mission, four NorthStar Earth & Space (NorthStar) Space Situational Awareness (SSA) satellites, from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 31 January 2023, at 06:34 UTC (19:34 NZDT).
The four L.E.M.U.R. (Low Earth Multi-Use Receiver) satellites were built and will be operated by Spire Global, Inc’s (Spire). Electron’s first stage made a parachute-assisted splashdown.

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches ADRAS-J

Feb 18, 2024

ADRAS-J launch: Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “On Closer Inspection” mission, the Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J) satellite for Astroscale Japan Inc., from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 18 February 2024, at 14:52 UTC (19 February, at 03:52 NZDT). According to Astroscale, “The ADRAS-J mission will be the world’s first attempt to safely approach and characterize an existing piece of large debris through Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) and is the start of a full-fledged debris removal service”

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches StriX-3

Mar 12, 2024

StriX-3 launch: Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “Owl Night Long” mission, Synspective’s StriX-3 SAR satellite, from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 12 March 2024, at 15:03 UTC (13 March, at 04:03 NZDT). According to Astroscale, “The ADRAS-J mission will be the world’s first attempt to safely approach and characterize an existing piece of large debris through Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) and is the start of a full-fledged debris removal service”

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches NROL-123

Mar 21, 2024

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the NROL-123 mission, called ‘Live and Let Fly’, from Launch Complex 2, Wallops, Virginia, on 21 March 2024, at 07:25 UTC (03:25 EDT).

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches NeonSat-1 and ACS3

Apr 24, 2024

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “Beginning Of The Swarm” mission, NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) and KAIST’s NeonSat-1 Earth observation satellite, from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 23 April 2024, at 22:32 UTC (24 April, at 10:32 NZST).

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches PREFIRE-1

May 25, 2024

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “Ready, Aim, PREFIRE” mission, the first of two identical 6U CubeSats for NASA PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission, from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 25 May 2024, at 07:41 UTC (19:41 NZST).

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches PREFIRE-2

Jun 5, 2024

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “PREFIRE and Ice” mission, the second of two identical 6U CubeSats for NASA PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission, from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 5 June 2024, at 03:15 UTC (15:15 NZST).

 

[Administrator]

Electron launches Kinéis 1-5

Jun 20, 2024

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle launched the “No Time Toulouse” mission, the first of five dedicated launches with five Kinéis IoT satellites, from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, on 20 June 2024, at 18:13 UTC (21 June, at 06:13 NZST).